services you are pleased to say I have rendered my Country. It was my good fortune to have under my command some of the most experienced Officers in the English Navy, whose professional skill was seconded by the undaunted courage of British Sailors; and whatever merit might attach itself to me, I must declare, that I had only to show them the Enemy, and Victory crowned the standard. The British Navy has received a large portion of public applause; but, however well deserved, it should be told, that the same valour and sense of duty would have marked the conduct of the British Army, had it been placed in such situations as would have afforded it an equal opportunity of displaying its National courage; but it has unluckily happened that the same good fortune, in this instance, did not occur, or we should have had equal reason for praising its heroism and Public services. When the English Army was sent to Egypt, it was the opinion of many intelligent characters that it would be destroyed. For my own part, I never thought so; for wherever British Soldiers have been opposed to those of France, they have uniformly conquered them. In my own person I have received an overflowing measure of the Nation's gratitude-far more than I either merited or expected; because the same success would have crowned the efforts of any other British Admiral, who had under his command such distinguished Officers, and such gallant Crews. And here let me impress it on the mind of every Officer in the Service, that to whatever quarter of the Globe he may be destined, whether to the East or West Indies, to Africa, or America, the eyes of his Country are upon him; and so long as Public men, in Public stations, exert themselves in those situations, to fulfil the duty demanded from them by the Public, they will always find the British Nation ready to heap upon them the utmost extent of its gratitude and its applause."-Naval Chronicle, vol. xx. p. 110.]

Dear Sir,

Llandovery, July 28th, 1802.

I am much obliged by your letter telling me of the death of Dr. Harward,' which I received ere our departure from Merton, and I sent to Mr. Addington. What the result of the application may be I know not; but be it as it may we all feel equally obliged to you. We are so far on our journey to Milford, and shall return in August. We all desire our best compliments to Mrs. Yonge, and beg you to believe me, your much obliged,

NELSON AND Bronte.

MEMORANDA RESPECTING THE FOREST OF DEAN.

[Autograph, in the Sidmouth Papers. The following Observations respecting the Forest of Dean having occurred to Lord Nelson during his Tour, he communicated them to the Prime Minister:]

[About Angust, 1802.]

The Forest of Dean contains about 23,000 acres of the finest land in the Kingdom, which, I am informed, if in a higl.

1 Doctor Charles Harward, Dean of Exeter, who died on the 15th of July, 1802. It would seem that Lord Nelson applied to Mr. Addington to appoint his brother, Doctor Nelson, to the vacant Deanery, but, if he did so, the request was not complied with.

state of cultivation of oak, would produce about 9200 loads of timber, fit for building Ships of the Line, every year—that is, the Forest would grow in full vigour 920,000 oak trees. The state of the Forest at this moment is deplorable; for, if my information is true, there is not 3500 load of timber in the whole Forest fit for building, and none coming forward. It is useless, I admit, to state the causes of such a want of timber where so much could be produced, except that, by knowing the faults, we may be better enabled to amend ourselves.

First, the generality of trees, for these last fifty years, have been allowed to stand too long. They are passed by instead of removed, and thus occupy a space which ought to have been re-planted with young trees.

Secondly, that where good timber is felled, nothing is planted, and nothing can grow self sown; for the deer (of which now only a few remain) bark all the young trees. Vast droves of hogs are allowed to go into the woods in the autumn; and if any fortunate acorn escapes their search, and takes root, then flocks of sheep are allowed to go into the Forest, and they bite off the tender shoot. These are sufficient reasons why timber does not grow in the Forest of Dean.

Of the waste of timber, in former times, I can say nothing; but of late years, it has been, I am told, shameful. Trees cut down in swampy places, as the carriage is done by contract, are left to rot, and are cut up by people in the neighbourhood. Another abuse is the Contractors, as they can carry more measurement, are allowed to cut the trees to their advantage of carriage, by which means the invaluable crooked timber is lost for the service of the Navy. There are also—another cause of the failure of timber-a set of people called Forest Free Miners, who consider themselves as having a right to dig for coal in any part they please. These people, in many places, inclose pieces of ground, which is daily increasing by the inattention, to call it by no worse name, of the Surveyors, Verderers, &c., who have the charge of the Forest.

Of late years, some apparently vigorous measures were taken for preserving and encouraging the growth of timber in the King's Forests, and part of the Forest of Dean has been enclosed; but it is so very ill attended to, that it is little, if anything better than the other part.

There is another abuse which I omitted to mention. Trees which die of themselves are considered as of no value. A gentleman told me, that in shooting on foot, for on horseback it cannot be seen, hid by the fern, which grows a great height, the trees of fifty years growth, fit for buildings, fencing, &c., are cut just above ground entirely through the bark: in two years the tree dies, and it becomes either a perquisite, or is allowed to be taken away by favoured people. These shameful abuses are probably [not] known to those high in power; but I have gathered the information of them from people of all descriptions, and perfectly disinterested in telling me, or knowing that I had any view in a transient inquiry. But, knowing the abuses, it is for the serious consideration of every lover of his Country, how they can either be done away, or, at least, lessened-perhaps, a very difficult or impossible task.

If the Forest of Dean is to be preserved as a useful Forest for the Country, strong measures must be pursued. First, the Guardian of this support of our Navy, must be an intelligent honest man, who will give up his time to his employment: therefore, he must live in the Forest, have a house, a small farm, and an adequate salary. I omitted to mention that the expense of a Surveyor of Woods, as far as relates to this Forest, to be done away: Verderer, as at present, also. The Guardian to have proper Verderers under him who understand the planting, thinning, and management of timber trees. These places should be so comfortable, that the fear of being turned out should be a great object of terror, and, of course, an inducement for them to exert themselves in their different stations. The first thing necessary in the Forest of Dean is to plant some acres of acorns; and I saw plenty of clear fields with cattle grazing in my voyage down the Wye. In two years, these will be fit for transplanting.

N.B.-I am aware that objections have been made to the transplanting of oak. I am not knowing enough in this matter to say how far this is true, when so young as two to five, or six years. The next thing is to be careful to thin the trees; for more timber is lost by being too fearful of cutting down, than by badly thinning. A tree from ten years of age ought, by a scale given to me by a very able man, to be as follows, viz.:

Number of trees that such land as the Forest of Dean may contain at different periods from their being first set:

In forty years, these Forests will produce a great value of timber fit for many uses in the Navy-indeed all, except for Ships of the Line.

If, on a due consideration, it is found not to be practicable for Government to arrange a plan for growing their own timber, then I would recommend at once selling the Forests, and encourage the growth of oak timber. I calculate, that taking away the 3500 load of timber at present fit for cutting, (or be it more or less,) that the Forest of Dean will sell for £460,000. I am sensible that what I have thrown together upon paper is so loose, that no plan can be drawn from it; but if these facts, which I have learnt from my late tour, may be in the least degree instrumental in benefiting our Country, I shall be truly happy.

A few Thoughts on encouraging the Growth of Oak Timber, drawn from conversations with many gentlemen in my late tour:

First, The reason why timber has of late years been so much reduced has been uniformly told me, that, from the pressure of the times, gentlemen who had £1000 to £5 worth of timber on their estates, although only half-grown, (say fifty years of age,) were obliged to sell it to raise temporary sums, (say to pay off legacies.) The owner cannot, however sorry he may feel to see the beauty of his place destroyed, and what would be treble the value to his children annihilated, help himself. It has struck me forcibly, that if Government could form a plan to purchase of such gentlemen the growing oak,

that it would be a National benefit, and a great and pleasing accommodation to such growers of oak as wish to sell.

My knowledge of this subject, drawn from the conversation of gentlemen in the oak countries, I think, would almost obviate all difficulties. Of myself, I own my incompetence to draw up a plan fit for public inspection; but all my gathered knowledge shall be most cheerfully at the service of some able

man.

TO THE REVEREND DIXON HOSTE.

[Autograph, in the possession of Captain Sir William Hoste. On the 15th of July 1802, the London Gazette," announced the King's permission to Lord Nelson "to accept and wear the Ensigns of Knight Grand Commander of the Equestrian Secular and Capitular Order of St. Joachim, into which he had been elected by a General Chapter of the Order at Westenbourg." Vide vol. iv. p. 510.]

My dear Sir,

Milford, August 3rd, 1802.

I had a letter from William, dated Malta, June 24th. He was perfectly well, but very anxious to return to England, and I hope the Greyhound's turn will soon arrive, when you will receive one of the best young Men and Sea-officers in Europe. I am, dear Sir, your most obedient servant,

NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR JOHN EAMER.

Private.

[From a Copy in the Nelson Papers.]

Merton, 8th September, 1802.

My dear Sir John,

I can assure you that I should dine with you in your private capacity with the greatest pleasure; but it is impossible, as I am sure you are sensible of, that Lord Nelson can receive any mark of distinction from the Chief Magistrate of the City of London, the conduct of the brave Captains, Officers, and Men, who so bravely fought, died, and conquered in the Battle of Copenhagen not having had the honour of the approbation of the City of London, in their Corporate capacity. Whatever my demerits might have been on that glorious day, I am bold to say, that British valour never shone more